Local SEO for Your Business: How to Use Google My Business and Yandex Maps to Attract Customers

🌍 What is Local SEO and Why is it Important for Your Business?

In recent years, local optimization has become an integral part of the promotion strategy of many businesses. As an experienced expert in local promotion, I can confidently say: in the highly competitive local market, it is important to be visible to your customers, especially those who are looking for goods and services nearby.

Local SEO is the process of optimizing your business for search engines like Google and Yandex to increase your visibility in local searches. When people search for something nearby, they use maps, and if your business is not set up on these maps, you will lose customers.

🔑 Local SEO allows your business to appear in search results for people who are close to you. It also helps you stand out from your competitors, improve your reputation, and attract more customers.

In this article, I will answer the 5 most common questions I get from business owners when it comes to local promotion. I will share my experience and real-life examples so that you can make the most of local search opportunities.

📌Do you want your business to appear on the first page of search and attract more customers through maps?

The importance of setting up a profile on Yandex.Maps and Google Maps correctly cannot be overestimated. This not only helps increase the visibility of your business, but also increases the flow of customers. We understand how difficult the optimization process is, so we are ready to help you!

🔥 Sign up for a free audit of your card to:

✔ Make sure your profile information is up-to-date and filled out correctly

✔ Set up a review strategy and improve your ranking

✔ Optimize your description and keywords for more clicks

✔ Improve your search rankings and increase customer acquisition

🎯 Don't delay! We'll help you stand out from the competition and attract more customers today.

👉 Find out how to make your maps profile as effective as possible!

1️⃣ Why is Local SEO Critical for Your Business?

A question I often hear from clients is: why local SEO? After all, if I have a website, why do I need to promote it in search engines on maps?

Here's an example from my practice: one of my clients is a small cafe-restaurant in the city center. When she came to me with a request to help increase the visibility of the establishment, it turned out that her business was simply not visible in local search, despite having a beautiful website.

When I helped her set up a profile on Google My Business and Yandex Maps, we immediately started getting customers who were looking for a cafe in the city center, and were currently searching. Local queries, such as "coffee nearby" or "restaurant in the center of Tbilisi", received many more clicks. In addition, her rating on the maps became an important factor in attracting new guests.

🔑 Local SEO optimization is a real opportunity to increase traffic, boost sales and get ahead of competitors.

2️⃣ Can Local SEO Be Used for Online Businesses Without a Physical Address?

Many entrepreneurs ask themselves this question, especially those who run an online business or do not have a physical store. The point is that Google My Business and Yandex.Business require a physical address. However, there are several ways to get around this limitation.

If you don’t have a physical location, you can still use local SEO by specifying service areas, such as “Delivery in Tbilisi” or “Consultations throughout Georgia.” This will make your business visible on maps and help you attract customers from the areas where you provide services.

💡 I always recommend my clients who work online or do not have a physical address to hide their real address in Google My Business and Yandex and set up service zones.

3️⃣ How does local search affect customer acquisition?

Local search is an integral part of everyday life for customers who are looking for solutions to their problems right now. These are so-called purchases with immediate intent. For example, if someone searches for “pizza near me” or “massage in Tbilisi,” these people almost always want to make a purchase now, not in a week.

📌 Example: Recently, the owner of a mobile phone store contacted me. He complained that, despite having a website, his store was not getting enough visitors. After optimizing his profile on Yandex Maps and Google My Business, his card began to reach top positions, and on the second day after the updates, we began to receive the first calls. People searched for "mobile phones in Tbilisi" and came straight to his store. The results were not long in coming! 📞

🔍 Local inquiries can literally increase your customer traffic within days.

According to research, 60% of users choose a company from the TOP-3 on Google Maps, and 70% start their search there. This is especially relevant for businesses in Georgia, where most Russian-speaking tourists and expats are accustomed to using Yandex and Google to find the nearest services, stores, or places to relax.

💡 How does it work in practice?
When a customer searches for “pizzeria nearby” or “cafe in Tbilisi,” the search engine determines their location and displays the nearest options. If your business is correctly configured on Yandex.Maps or Google, you will be among the first suggestions, and this opens direct access to customers who are looking for your services here and now.

📌 And one more important point!

📸 You've probably heard more than once that profile photos increase clicks and attract more customers. In my practice, I've seen more than once how companies, by adding high-quality photos of their business to Google My Business, increased customer flow by 40-50%. This happens because people trust visual information much more than text.

🔑 Tip:
Don't forget about the visual component. Add photos of the interior, products and employees, and use videos to demonstrate your services or products. Update the content regularly to keep the profile relevant and attractive.

4️⃣ How do I know what queries my customers are using?

I get this question all the time from clients who want to be a leader in local search engine visibility.

🔑 The answer is simple: use tools like Google Search Console and Yandex.Webmaster to analyze queries and user behavior. These tools will show you which queries bring customers to your card.

For example, if you have a pizzeria, you can see that users are searching for "pizza in the center of Tbilisi" or "where to buy pizza with delivery." This data will help you adjust the description and keywords in the card so that your establishment gets into the results for these queries.

📌 Case example: In one of my projects, we found that queries for “pizza delivery” brought customers to the area where the profile was optimized, and this allowed us to increase revenue by 25% in the first month.

5️⃣ Why is it important to start working with local SEO right now?

Every day you don't work on your profile on maps is a missed opportunity. The sooner you start, the sooner your business will get to the top and start getting a flow of customers. This is a tool that helps you become visible in search results and on maps for free.

Your competitors may already be in the lead, and it's becoming more and more difficult to overtake them every day.
⏳ Don't waste time and start optimizing your profile right now!

📢 Do you want your business to occupy top positions in Yandex.Maps and Google, attract more customers and stand out from competitors?

We can help you achieve your goal!

💡 What we will do for you:

✔️ We will design your profile according to all Yandex and Google standards so that it is visible and attractive to customers.

✔️ We will help you set up keywords and correctly indicate information so that your card ranks high in local search.

✔️ We will teach you how to effectively work with reviews and improve your reputation, which will directly affect the trust of your customers.

✔️ We will tell you how to add attractive photos and descriptions to make your establishment even more attractive to visitors.

📍 Result:

✅ More customers: we will help you get to the TOP of search results.
✅ Increased sales: your visibility in Yandex.Maps and Google will help customers make purchasing decisions faster.
✅ Increased trust: proper work with reviews and up-to-date information will improve the reputation of your business.

👉 Don't waste your clients and time - start promoting now!

💪 Local SEO Helps You Get Ahead of Your Competitors

Google and Yandex take into account three main factors:

• Relevance — how well the company profile matches the request.
• Distance — how close your business is to the customer.
• Popularity — reviews, number of clicks, and profile activity.

If you set up your business profile correctly, add keywords, update information and work with reviews, then your competitors will be far behind.

🔑 Optimizing your profile in Google and Yandex is a step that helps you be visible, find your audience and increase sales.